Proposal for a Directive on the protection of persons reporting on breaches of EU law

Summary:

Legislative proposal published by the European Commission in April 2018 aimed at strengthening whistleblower protection across the European Union (EU).

Further information:

The draft law aims to establish safe channels for reporting both within an organisation and to public authorities. It should also protect whistleblowers (whistle-blowers) against dismissal, demotion and other forms of retaliation and require national authorities to inform citizens and provide training for public authorities on how to deal with whistleblowers.

A Communication on strengthening whistleblower protectiong at EU level was published together with the legislative proposal. The Commission adopted it on 23 April 2018. The European Parliament's relevant committee adopted a negotiating position on 27 November and the Member States' ambassadors adopted a general approach on behalf of the Council of the European Union on 25 January 2019. An informal agreement between the co-legislators was reached on 12 March. The Parliament endorsed it on 16 April and the formal adoption by the Council took place on 7 October.

Official

EUR-Lex: SWD(2018)116: Impact assessment https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=SWD:2018:116:FIN

EUR-Lex: SWD(2018)117: Executive summary of the impact assessment https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=SWD:2018:117:FIN

European Parliament: Legislative Observatory: Procedure File for Proposal on protection of persons reporting on breaches of Union law https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?reference=2018/0106(COD)

EP: Legislative Train: Adoption by the co-legislators of the proposal on the protection of persons reporting on breaches of Union law (‘whistle-blower protection proposal’) http://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/theme-area-of-justice-and-fundamental-rights/file-whistle-blower-protection-proposal

European Commission: Press Release, 23/04/2018: Whistleblower protection: Commission sets new, EU-wide rules http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-3441_en.htm

European Commission: Fact Sheet, 23/04/2018: Whistleblower protection http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-18-3442_en.htm

European Parliament: Press Release, 20/11/2018: EU-wide protection and support for whistle-blowers http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20181120IPR19504/

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 25/01/2019: Better protection of whistleblowers: Council adopts its position https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2019/01/25/better-protection-of-whistleblowers-council-adopts-its-position/

European Commission: Press Release, 12/03/2019: European Commission welcomes provisional agreement to better protect whistleblowers across the EU http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-19-1604_en.htm

European Parliament: Press Release, 12/03/2019: First EU-wide protection for whistle-blowers agreed http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20190311IPR31055/

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 15/03/2019: Better protection of whistle-blowers: Council confirms agreement with Parliament https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2019/03/15/better-protection-of-whistle-blowers-council-confirms-agreement-with-parliament/

European Parliament: Press Release, 16/04/2019: Protecting whistle-blowers: new EU-wide rules approved http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20190410IPR37529/

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 07/10/2019: Better protection of whistle-blowers: new EU-wide rules to kick in in 2021 https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2019/10/07/better-protection-of-whistle-blowers-new-eu-wide-rules-to-kick-in-in-2021/

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News

The Guardian, 16/04/2018: EU moves to bring in whistleblower protection law https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/16/eu-moves-to-bring-in-whistleblower-protection-law-yax-avoidence-emissions-scandals

Reuters, 23/04/2018: EU moves to protect whistleblowers https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN1HU1DG

EUObserver, 23/04/2018: European Commission proposes whistleblower protection law https://euobserver.com/justice/141671

Irish Times, 23/04/2018: Commission promises EU-wide protection to whistleblowers https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/commission-promises-eu-wide-protection-to-whistleblowers-1.3471587

EurActiv, 24/04/2018: Caution needed in transposing whistleblowing and trade secrets directives https://www.euractiv.com/section/justice-home-affairs/news/caution-needed-in-transposing-whistleblowing-and-trade-secrets-directives/

Politico, 16/01/2019: EU countries support protections for tax evasion leaks https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-countries-support-protections-for-tax-evasion-leaks/

Euronews, 24/01/2019: EU close to deal on stronger whistleblower protection https://www.euronews.com/2019/01/24/eu-close-to-deal-on-stronger-whistleblower-protection

Politico, 28/02/2019: Whistleblower protection rules held up by reporting clash https://www.politico.eu/article/whistleblower-protection-rules-held-up-reporting-clash-european-parliament/

Reuters, 12/03/2019: Whistleblowers to get EU-wide protection when reporting crimes https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKBN1QT1AP

Deutsche Welle, 12/03/2019: EU protects whistleblowers with new directive https://p.dw.com/p/3Epw9

Politico, 12/03/2019: Europe agrees on protection rules for whistleblowers https://www.politico.eu/article/europe-agrees-on-protection-rules-for-whistleblowers/

BBC News, 16/04/2019: EU gives 'high-level' protection to whistleblowers https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-47936682

Politico, 16/04/2019: European Parliament approves new protections for whistleblowers https://www.politico.eu/article/european-parliament-approves-new-protections-for-whistleblowers/

Deutsche Welle, 16/04/2019: European Parliament backs expanded whistleblower protection https://p.dw.com/p/3GuhJ

EurActiv, 17/04/2019: European Parliament backs rules to protect whistleblowers https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/european-parliament-backs-rules-to-protect-whistleblowers/

The Brussels Times, 07/10/2019: EU tightens whistleblower protection https://www.brusselstimes.com/all-news/eu-affairs/72049/eu-tightens-whistleblower-protection/

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Commentary and Analysis

EBU: News, 23/04/2018: Whistleblower Directive: European Commission takes 'important step' but improvement on public reporting yet to be made https://www.ebu.ch/news/2018/04/whistleblower-directive-european-commission-takes-important-step-but-improvement-on-public-reporting-yet-to-be-made

Transparency International: Press Release, 23/04/2018: New EU proposals for whistleblower protection is a bold step in the right direction https://www.transparency.org/news/pressrelease/new_eu_proposals_for_whistleblower_protection_is_a_bold_step_in_the_right_d

Bloomberg, 01/05/2018: How the EU Can Help Protect Whistleblowers https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-05-01/how-the-eu-can-help-protect-whistleblowers

EurActiv, 19/11/2018: Why Europe should back a robust whistleblowers directive https://www.euractiv.com/section/justice-home-affairs/opinion/why-europe-should-back-a-robust-whistleblowers-directive/

EUObserver, 21/11/2018: EU parliament vote strengthens whistleblower protection https://euobserver.com/opinion/143455

Whistleblower Protection Blog, 24/01/2019: The EU should follow the U.S. lead on whistleblowers — protect insiders by allowing them to report crimes directly to outside agencies https://www.whistleblowersblog.org/2019/01/articles/whistleblower-news/strengthen-eu-whistleblower-laws/

Social Europe, 07/03/2019: Whistleblowers directive still needs to change https://www.socialeurope.eu/whistleblowers-directive

Transparency International: Press Release, 12/03/2019: Historic day for whistleblowers as EU agrees pathbreaking legislation https://www.transparency.org/news/pressrelease/historic_day_for_whistleblowers_as_eu_agrees_pathbreaking_legislation

EBU: Press Release, 16/04/2019: Whistleblowers better protected but public reporting still limited https://www.ebu.ch/news/2019/04/whistleblowers-better-protected-but-public-reporting-still-limited-1

EU Law Analysis, 23/04/2019: New EU Directive on Whistleblower Protection http://eulawanalysis.blogspot.com/2019/04/new-eu-directive-on-whistleblower.html

Transparency International: Press Release, 07/10/2019: EU countries’ chance to lead on whistleblower protection https://www.transparency.org/news/pressrelease/eu_countries_chance_to_lead_on_whistleblower_protection

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